Yovel sits down with functional medicine expert Dr. Sam Shay to explore what truly separates the top 1% from everyone else—on a physiological, mental, and emotional level.

Dr. Sam opens up about growing up neurodivergent, discovering he’s on the spectrum later in life, and how that shaped his path into functional medicine, genetics, and even stand-up comedy. Together, they unpack how to listen to your body, when to push and when to pause, and why coaching + data + truth are the non-negotiables for high performance and long-term health.

This episode is part story, part science, and part wake-up call for anyone burning out in the name of success.

🧠 Main Topics Covered

• From “Future Third-Generation MD” to Functional Medicine Rebel

  • Why Sam pivoted from conventional medicine to natural and functional medicine

  • How discovering his place on the autistic spectrum transformed his self-awareness and relationships

• Functional Medicine vs. Western Medicine (and Why Both Matter)

  • Western medicine as emergency triage: crisis, stability, and symptom suppression

  • Functional medicine as optimization: moving from chronic → normal → optimal

  • Viewing symptoms as signals, not enemies—feedback to reevaluate sleep, diet, stress, environment, and habits

• Knowing When to Push and When to Rest

  • The “emergency vs. lifestyle” lens for deciding when to endure and when to pause

  • How culture, upbringing, and workaholism distort our sense of what’s “normal”

  • Emotional indicators like resentment, frustration, and chronic negativity as red flags to reassess your situation

• What Separates the True Top 1%

  • The two non-negotiables: coaching and data

  • How high performers relentlessly seek expert guidance and objective metrics

  • Using functional lab testing plus lifestyle/nutrition to sustain energy and focus instead of burning out

• Humor, Truth & the Placebo Effect

  • Why humor is one of the most powerful vectors for truth

  • How writing and performing comedy made Sam a sharper thinker, communicator, and “truth spotter”

  • The real meaning of the placebo effect: how much you like and trust your practitioner

  • Why likability and trust can make or break outcomes—even with the best protocols

• Genetics, Caffeine, Diet & Histamine – Personalized Performance

  • How genetic testing exposed Sam’s caffeine intolerance and changed his energy and mood

  • Why a “Mediterranean diet” wasn’t right for him—and how genetics pointed him to low-carb/paleo

  • Histamine intolerance explained like a “slow full-body bee sting” and how it affects fatigue, water retention, and digestion

  • Why genetic testing is the highest-value single test you can run and why its data never expires

• Male Psychology, Resistance & Inarguable Data

  • Why many men dismiss or minimize functional test results

  • How genetic data cuts through denial and excuses—especially around alcohol and lifestyle choices

• Advice to His Younger Self (and to High Performers Listening)

  • What his 30-year-old self would be most proud of: community, truth-seeking, comedy, and clinical mastery

  • Hard-won lessons:

    • Avoid mold and toxic environments

    • Spot sociopaths, narcissists, and aversive personalities early

    • Study marketing, finances, and wealth as seriously as your craft

    • Pay attention to technological shifts like AI and crypto sooner

🌐 Connect with Dr. Sam Shay

• Website: https://drsamshay.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsamshay/?hl=en

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sam.shay.792/